Gijang restaurant with AC waiting zone and tteokbokki self-bar: Dongam

We were heading out toward Gijang and trying to figure out where to eat lunch, so we stopped by Dongam Tteokgalbi. There's so much to do around Gijang — from Haedong Yonggungsa to the Osiria tourist complex, Lotte Outlet, and IKEA — that once you're out there, you end up looking for somewhere good to eat along with everything else. This time we wanted something filling but not too heavy, so we went with tteokgalbi (grilled minced short rib patty). Dongam Tteokgalbi sits right in the middle of East Busan's main tourist spots, so it worked well alongside the rest of our plans.

Parking and how to find Dongam Tteokgalbi in Gijang

Dongam Tteokgalbi has a spacious parking lot on the building's 1st floor, so parking was easy. Around Gijang people usually get around by car, and having easy parking made things relaxed from the moment we arrived. Lots of cars come through during meal times, so I'd recommend arriving a bit early.

Also worth noting — Dongam Tteokgalbi uses 100% beef for all its tteokgalbi. The restaurant itself is on the 3rd floor, and there's an elevator, so getting up there is easy.

The waiting zone had air conditioning running and plenty of seats, so it wasn't cramped at all.

Inside Dongam Tteokgalbi: window seats with a Lotte World view

Once we stepped inside, the space was bigger and cleaner than I expected. The window side had large windows looking out at the view, and overall the atmosphere felt comfortable — good for a family meal. The view from the windows is actually a Lotte World view.

What we ordered at Dongam Tteokgalbi and what it cost

We ordered the Dongam Tteokgalbi set and the Cheese Tteokgalbi set. Checking the menu board, the Dongam Tteokgalbi set was ₩15,000 and the Cheese Tteokgalbi set was ₩18,000.

Before the tteokgalbi arrived, the side dishes were set out first, and there were more varieties than I expected. Everything from kimchi to namul (seasoned vegetables), stir-fried mushrooms, and salad-style dishes showed up, all good to eat alongside the tteokgalbi. When there's a good variety of side dishes with meat, it's fun mixing and matching — that day too, a bite of tteokgalbi, a bite of a side dish, a spoonful of rice, and my chopsticks just kept going back for more.

What is on the Dongam Tteokgalbi self-bar?

Dongam Tteokgalbi has a self-bar, so you can grab whatever extra food you want yourself. Looking it over, there was a pretty wide variety — tteokbokki (stir-fried rice cakes), sausages, seaweed soup, fried rice, various namul, steamed egg, tofu kimchi, and more. I told myself I'd just grab a little, but once I saw everything I wanted to try a bit of each, so I ended up piling my plate high haha. The tteokbokki and sausages seemed like they'd be great if you're visiting with kids, and things like tofu kimchi and namul were nice for adults to pair with the meal. With the self-bar there, the meal felt a lot more generous than just tteokgalbi alone.

I lost count of how many times I went back for the tteokbokki, sausages, and steamed egg haha. There's also doenjang paste and namul, so you can mix things up.

Dongam Tteokgalbi set vs Cheese Tteokgalbi set: which tastes better?

Finally, the main dishes arrived. Pretty appetizing just from the photo, right? A big piece of tteokgalbi sat on one side, and the cheese tteokgalbi came piled generously with cheese.

We started with the basic Dongam Tteokgalbi. Made from 100% beef, it had a distinct savory flavor, and it wasn't too dry when chewed — actually pretty tender. The sweet-savory seasoning typical of tteokgalbi paired really well with the rice. Things like this really are best eaten with a piece of tteokgalbi on top of a spoonful of rice. Eating it with the side dishes added even more layers of flavor, and a bowl of rice disappeared fast.

The cheese tteokgalbi looked completely different right from the start. There was a generous layer of melted cheese on top of the tteokgalbi, which cheese lovers would appreciate. The savory base flavor of the tteokgalbi combined with the rich, soft cheese made it noticeably more savory overall. Ordering one of each like we did is a good way to compare the basic and cheese versions side by side.

Since it's a set meal, doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) also came with it. Served hot in a stone pot with tofu and vegetables, alternating between the tteokgalbi and a spoonful of rice with the stew really made it feel like a proper Korean meal. With the side dishes, the self-bar, the tteokgalbi, and the stew, the whole meal ended up surprisingly filling.

Is Dongam Tteokgalbi a good lunch stop near Haedong Yonggungsa?

For anyone looking for a solid, filling lunch spot in Gijang, Dongam Tteokgalbi seemed like a good bet. There are so many tourist spots around Gijang that it's easy to move on to your next stop after eating. It's in a good location whether you're stopping by after Haedong Yonggungsa, or grabbing a meal after spending time around Osiria, Lotte Outlet, or IKEA. If you're specifically looking for Korean food near Haedong Yonggungsa, being able to enjoy tteokgalbi along with a wide range of side dishes makes this a solid choice.

• Location: 3F, 160 Gijang Haean-ro, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan, South Korea
• Hours: 11:00–21:00 (no regular closing day)